3 Common Tech Problems Small Businesses Face

There’s no doubt that we live in a digital world. If you own a small business, you’re expected to adapt to an ever-changing technological landscape in order to keep your customers happy, your data safe, and your organization running smoothly. To accomplish this, you and your employees will have to use up-to-date software on a secure network. Managed IT services can also ensure that sensitive information is accessible only to those with certain permissions.

Still, data breaches are becoming more common; working with an IT consultant firm is the best step you can take to ensure your software system and data are secure and totally functional. If you don’t work with an IT consulting company, you’re putting your business at risk for these problems (and many more). To avoid making these tech mistakes, working with an IT consultant firm is a must.

System Vulnerabilities
A lot of small business owners are under the impression that their organization simply isn’t a big enough target for hackers or other malicious activity. Because of that misconception, it’s common for smaller organizations to be lax in their cyber security methods — and that’s exactly why they’re often targeted for tech attacks. It’s not just faceless hackers you have to worry about, either: your own former employees could be to blame for a breach. A startling 59% of employees steal proprietary corporate data when they leave a job. What’s more, if your organization fails to protect your customers in the event of a breach and your business is found to be non-compliant, you’ll have to deal with the substantial cost of the breach itself and additional fines. Make sure your system is cutting-edge and that your IT consultant firm works tirelessly to identify and fix vulnerabilities.

Lack of Training
Your employees might not look forward to software training sessions, but they’re not just busy work; they’re vital to the success of your business. When your employees don’t utilize features correctly (or at all), production costs and errors will increase and productivity will decrease. While this can be problematic for any size organization, small businesses will be impacted more significantly. By making software training a priority, you can reduce redundancy, improve employee understanding, and even increase company morale.

Unreliable Support
As a small business owner, you may think you can’t afford to hire an IT consultant firm specifically for your organization. While cost is an understandable concern, failure to make this investment can really backfire on your business. When you rely on a tech-savvy employee or family member to address tech issues that will undoubtedly come up, you’re not getting the support and knowledge you truly require. Always remember that you get what you pay for. Sure, free tech support would be nice, but when you don’t work with a professional, your business will likely pay the price. Instead of using a local IT student or an unknowledgeable phone support tech, your business will actually save money in the long run by using a tech support team or specialized consultant. You won’t lose data or deal with downtime, which means your business will operate as intended without revenue loss. Peace of mind and smooth operations are well worth the investment.

These days, you need to do everything you can to protect your business, data, and customers. For more information on our IT consultant firm and how we can help your organization, contact us today.